Mendocino County voters approve abandoned vehicle program

An important program that allows the county to afford to remove abandoned cars off public and private lands appears to have won reauthorization although because it needs a two-thirds vote its approval will remain to be seen with many ballots still uncounted.

Known as the Abandoned Vehicle Program, it was set up 10 years ago and has, over those years, allowed the county to remove as many as 11,000 unsightly abandoned vehicles and car parts from people's property. After 10 years it needed to be reauthorized by the voters.

As of press time, voters approved the measure with 79.16 percent of the votes cast.

"I'm very grateful to see the voters supporting Measure G," said Supervisor John McCowen Tuesday night. "The $1 per vehicle registration will help keep our countryside and our roads free of abandoned vehicles."

The measure continues the $1 fee which is part of local residents' vehicle license fees ($3 for some commercial vehicles) and therefore needs a two-thirds majority vote to pass under a state law affecting taxation.

The fee collects about $90,000 per year for the county to cover the costs of clearing away abandoned vehicles.

"It generates a significant amount of money that does fund the large majority of one position in Code Enforcement," former Mendocino County Planning and Building Services Director Roger Mobley told the county supervisors earlier this year as they decided whether to try to renew the program. The cities of Ukiah and Fort Bragg also get part of the funding for similar programs of their own.